Outdoors

Daily fishing report

By JAY MASTRY
Published December 25, 2005

For those with spare time, this could be the ideal time to try out those goodies you found under the tree. Operators of the south Skyway fishing pier reported a phenomenal week of pompano fishing. Those little packs of pink or yellow three-eights- or half-ounce jigs work best.

Trout and redfish don't mind these cold days. If you have a pack of jig heads and a bag of root-beer or pink soft rubber tails, give them a try.

Sheepshead will test your tackle and can be found at most bridges and many artificial reefs in the bay. Big numbers of sheepies haven't made it to the edges of the ships channel in the bay but mangrove snapper and a few keeper grouper have.

If you got foul-weather gear or a cast net, break it in. It's the season for the mullet run and a perfect time to try out a new smoker. With whitebait tough to get and likely to get tougher as water temperatures plummet, those gift certificates from your bait shop probably can be used to purchase shrimp. There is hardly a fish that won't eat them and if they are not all used, boil them for lunch.

If you have to return a gift and need a new idea, nothing shows you care quite like a rod and reel combo from your favorite tackle shop. If you choose to stay home with family and friends you can wait on better weather. Be safe and happy holidays.

Jay Mastry charters Jaybird out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 321-2142.

[Last modified December 24, 2005, 23:43:13]